Rotary engine



E. A. STEWART. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY14,191.9.

Patented Mar. 2,1920.

'5 SHEETSSHEET I- E. A. STEWART.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1919.

Patented may 2, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patent-Cd Mar. 2, T920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- E. A. STEWART.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED Til/W 14, 19w.

E. A. STEWART.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1.4. 1919.

1 ,3'3 2, 367 Patentd Mar. 2, 1920.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

mmmv m EDWARD A. STEWART, 0F DAYTON, OHIO.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Application filed. May 14, 1919. Serial 110.2%,979.

the heat due to said explosions, acts by the force of its impact upon the buckets ofa secondpiston to concurrently drive it, the two pistons being mounted in separate communicating cylinders. j a

The object of the invention is to provide a rotary engine of maximum efiiciencyand power through the structural characteristics hereinafter described and claimed.

Referringin general terms to the accompanyin drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation 0 the engine. Fig. 2 is a section thereof on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the starting gear. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the water inlet valve. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the air and oil inlet valve. Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the above mentioned valve. Fig. 10 is a section on the line l 010 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, 1 represents a base which supports a casing 2 through the agency of posts 3 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The casing 2 15 provided with a division wall 4 and end cover plates 5 and 6. The plates 5 and 6 are provided with bearings 7 in which is journaled a shaft 8 having a pulley 8. Mounted on the shaft 8 and within the casing 2 are two rotors 9 and 10 separated by the division wall 4. The rotor 9 is actuated by the explosive efiect of air and oil; while the rotor 10 is actuated by the expansive effeet of steam as generated by water and the exhaust gases from the rotor 9. The rotor 9 is provided with pockets 11 having curved faces 12 which receive the impinging effect of explosive gases in chambers 13 in the casing 2. The explosive gases are di- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mame, 1920.

rected against the curved faces 12 by passageways 14, and the passage of the gases is .controlled by valves lo slidingly mounted on grids 16. The valves 15 are provided with stems 17 which project out through the c over-plate 5, andare moved in one direct1on by springs 18 mounted on the stems 17. The valves. 15 are moved in the other direction by levers 19 pivoted at 20 and rocked by a cam race 21 in a drum 22 mounted on the shaft 8 The valves 15 are opened immediately after the explosions occur in the chambers 13. The air and oil is introduced into the chambers 13 through oil and air valves shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8. The oil and air valves are provided with casings 23 mounted on the cover plate 5 and provided with central chambers 24: into which the air-and oil are introduced under high pressure. The admission of the air and oil into the chambers 13 is controlled by valve-heads 25 mounted on stems 26 which extend out of the casing 23 through glands 27. On their outer ends, the stems 26 are provided with heads 28 which rest in T slots in wedges 29 slidingly mounted on spring-controlled plungers 30. The springcontrolled plungers 3O maintain the valveheads 28 normally closed. The wedges 29 areinstrumental in regulating the amount of air and oil introduced into the chambers 13 and are engaged by levers 31 pivoted at 32, andactuated by a cam race 33 in the drum 22. See Fig. 2. The position of the wedgesrelative to the heads 28 of the stems 26 determine the extent of the opening movement of the valve-heads28, and consequently the amount of air and oil admitted to the chambers 13. The wedges 29 are connected by means of links 34 to levers 35 pivoted at 36 to the cover-plate 5. See Fig. 1. The levers 35 are connected by means of links 37, to an oscillating spider 38 mounted on the bearing 7 of the cover-plate The spider 38 is provided with a handle 39 by means of which the wedges 29 29 may be manually shifted. The arm 39 is attached to an oscillating plate 40 also mounted on the bearing 7 through the agency of a slotted link 41 and a bolt 42. The plate 40 is connectedto a governor (not shown) which is instrumental in automatically shifting the wedges 29. The slotted link connection 41 is provided to permit the wedges 29 to be manually shifted without disturbing the governor. The air and oil valves are supplied with air and oil through individual pipes 43 and 44 which are connected to'the casings 23 by means of bosses 45 and 46 (see Fig. 8). The individual pipes'43 and -44 are connected to headers 47 and -48 'which receive the air and gas from a suitable source of supply through pipes 49 and 50 difiuse the mixture, the discharge opening of the valve is serrated as at 51 as is shown in Fig. 9. After the explosive gases impinge against the faces12'of the pockets 11 they exhaust through passageways 52 into exhaust chambers 53 in the casing 2. The entrance of the exhaust gases into the chambers 53 is controlledv by valves 54 which slide on grids 55. The valves- 54 are provided with stems 56 which extend .out

through the casingfhnd said valves are actuated by springs 57 and by levers 58 pivoted at 59 and actuated by the cam race 21. The exhaust gases when they enter the chambers 53 possess a high degree of heat,

and to utilize this energy, water is intro-' duced into the chambers 53 which is converted into steam and the expansive action of which is utilized in connection with the: rotor 10. The water is introduced into the chambers 53 through valves such as are shown in section in Fig. 6. The water valves are provided with castings 60 attached to the cover-plate 5. Within the casings 60 are valve heads 61 mounted 011 stems 62 extending out of the casings 60 through glands 63. The valve heads 61 are actuated bysprings 64 and levers 65 pivoted at 66 and actuated by the cam race 33. The chambers 53 extend entirely across the casing 2 from the cover-plate 5 to the cover-plate 6, and are adapted to transmit the steam tothe rotor 10'. The rotor 10 is provided with pockets 67 having curved faces 68 similar to the pockets 11. See Fig. 4. The stamfrom the chambers 53 is conducted to the pockets 67 through passageways 69 sin the casing 2. The passage of the steam out of the" chambers 53 is controlled by valves 70 sliding on grids 71' and provided with stems 72 which extend through the cover-plate 6. The valves 70 are actuated by the stems 72, levers 7 3 pivoted at 74, connecting rods 75, levers 76 pivoted at 77 and a cam race 78 in the drum 22. The steam and the products of combustion exhaust out of the pockets 67 through passageways 80 in the casing 2 which lead to chambers 81. The chambers 81 in casing 2 are connected by means of tubes 112 with an exhaust pan 82 of any suitable construction, mounted on the shaft 8. The pan 82 is instrumental in creating a 7 degree of heat generated by the explosions.

The space 85 is provided with inlet and outlet pipes 87 and 88 (see Fig. The space 86 is supplied with the cooling medium by pipes 90 and.91 (see Fig. 2) which are connected to the ends of the shaft 8 which is hollow and is connected with the space 85 through passageways 92 and 93.

The water for the generation of steam is supplied to the valves 60 through individual pipes or tubes 94 which lead from a header 95. See Figs. 1 and 5. The pipes 94 are provided with valves 96 having arms 97. The said arms are connected by means of removable pins 98, to a lever 99 through the agency of a rod 100. The lever 99 is pivoted at 101 to a frame 102 supported by the casing 2. The removable pins 98 permit the two lowermost valves 96 to be operated independent of the upper valves 96; The lever 99 is provided with a radial slot 103 and is connected to a lever 104 through the agency of the slot anda bolt 105. The lever 104 is also pivoted at 101 and is provided with a latch 106 in operative relation with a notched segment 107. The individual air and oil pipes 43 and 44 are provided with valves 108 having arms 109 connected to the lever 104 by a rod 110. The connection of the rod 110 to the lever is madev disconopen which permits the exploded gases to be directed into the pockets 11 which occurs each time one of the pockets passes each of the passageways 14. As there are three explosive chambers 13 and eight pockets 11 in the present instance, there will, therefore be twenty-four explosions or impulses on the rotor 9 on each revolution which makes 'a continuous turning movement. The burnt gases exhaust out of the pockets 11 through the passageways 52 and through the valves 54 into the chambers 53. Water is then introduced into the chambers 53 which creates steam under a higher pressure than the exnesaeev haust gases. The valves 70 are then opened and. properly turned to permit the passageways 69 to impinge the expanding steam into one of the buckets 167 of the rotor 10.

The exhaust steam subsequently passes outof the engine through chambers 81 into the pan82.

Having described my invention, I claim:-

1. In a rotary engine, a stationary casing having explosive and exhaust chambers therein .with passageways communicating therewith, a rotor having peripheral pockets mounted in said casing and receiving the impelling impacts from the explosions occurring in said explosive chambers, valves actuated from the rotor controlling the pas sageways communicating with said explosive chambers, governable valves actuated from said rotor and adapted to admit under high pressure and in a diffused condition air and an explosive agent into said explosive chambers, and valves actuated from the ro- .1301 and controlling the passageways and the 3. Ina rotary engine, a stationary casing having two divisions and explosive and ex haust chambers with individual passageways communicating therewith, a rotor mounted in one of said divisions having pockets adapted to register with said ex:

plosive and exhaust chambers, valves actu-. ated from said rotor controlling the pas-' sageways from the said explosive chambers to said-pockets, valves actuated from said rotor for admitting air and fuel to said explosive chambers under a condition of high pressure, valves'actuated from said rotor and controlling said exhaust passageways and chambers, valves controlled by said rotor adapted to admit water to the said exhaust chambers for the generation of steam therein, a second rotor 1n the other division of said casing having peripheral pockets, and valves actuated from the first named rotor controlling the admission of steam to the pockets of the second rotor; A

4. In a rotary engine, a stationary housing having explosive and exhaust chambers with individual passageways communicating therewith and additional exhaust chambers with passageways communicating therewith, a rotor in said housing having peripheral pockets adapted to register with said passageways, valves controlling the passageways from the explosive chambers, valves controlling the admission of air and fuel to the said explosive chambers, valves controlling the passageways of the first named exhaust chambers, a second rotor in said housingv having peripheral pockets adapted to register with the first named exhaust chambers and the said additional exhaust chambers, valves controlling-the admission of steam from the first named exhaust chambers to the pockets in said second rotor, means for actuating all ofsaid valves independently, and a common mem 'ber actuated from the first named rotor and adapted to actuate in turn said independent valve actuating means.

5'. In a rotary engine, a stationary housing having explosive chambers and combined exhaust and steam generating chambers with individual passageways communicating therewith, and steam exhaust chambers having individual passageways, a rotor. in said housing having peripheral pockets adapted to register with the passageways of said explosive chambersand said combined exhaust and steam generating vchambers, valves controllingthe passageways of the said explosive chambers, valves controllin the admission of air and fuel to the sai explosive chambers, valves controlling the mitting water to the said combined exhaust and steam generating chambers, valves admitting water to the sald combined exhaust and steam generating chambers, a second rotor in said housing having peripheral pockets adapted to register with the combined exhaust and steam generating chambers and the said steam exhaust chambers,

valves controlling the admission of steam from said combined exhaust and steam generating chambers to the pockets in the second rotor, means for actuating all of said valves independently and at predetermined times, and a common cam'member actuated from the first named rotor and in turn actuating all of the said valve operating ineans. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDWARD STEWART, 

